[120] According to Chilean statistics, and estimate for 1917.
| 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric tons | 44,665 | 52,341 | 71,288 | 95,000 |
The largest mines of Chile are controlled by American capital. Group 2 of [Table 38] (the Morgan-Guggenheim interests) controls the Chile Copper Co., Braden Copper Co. and the Caldera and Carrizal custom smelters. The developed ore reserves of the Chile Copper Co. are the largest in any known copper deposits in the world and the reserves of Braden are among the largest known. Group 3 of [Table 38] (Anaconda Copper Co.) has a property with large developed ore reserves—the Andes Copper Co. This mine is not yet (1918) producing.
[Table 43] (p. 243) gives data concerning these American-owned mines.
These three mines are allied to the “porphyries” of the United States in character, but they are less profitable because the external conditions make operation more difficult.
Table 42.—Chief Copper Producers of Chile. Their Ownership and Relative Importance
| Controlled by capital of | Company | Plant capacity, 1918 (pounds a year) | Nature of product | Source of product | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Chile Copper Co. | 120,000,000 | Refined copper | Mines of the Company | Capacity will be increased | ||
| Do | Braden Copper Co. | 72,000,000 | Blister copper | Do | Do | ||
| Do | A. S. & R. Co. | 24,000,000 | Blister copper and matte | Local owned mines | Caldera plant | ||
| Do | A. S. & R. Co., custom smelters | 24,000,000 | Do | Carrizal plant | |||
| Total United States | 240,000,000 | ||||||
| United States properties’ reserves | 150 years | ||||||
| England | Central Chile Co. | 6,000,000 | Matte | Panulcillo mine ¹⁄₃ | Balance custom ore | ||
| Do | Poderosa mine | 2,000,000 | Ore (rich) | Shipped to U. S. | |||
| Do | Lota custom smelter | 8,000,000 | Blister | Largely custom ore | Treat custom matte | ||
| Total British | 16,000,000 | ||||||
| British properties’ reserves | 3 years | ||||||
| France | Chanaral | 15,000,000 | Blister and matte | Mines of the company | - | Product treated at Balbach plant (U. S.) in 1917 | |
| Do | Naltagua | 10,000,000 | Blister | Mines of the company | |||
| Total French | 25,000,000 | ||||||
| French properties’ reserves | 5 years | ||||||
| Belgium | Catemo | 11,000,000 | Blister | Mines of the company | Refined by Balbach, 1917. | ||
| Reserves | 5 years | ||||||
| Germany | Gatico smelter | 8,000,000 | Blister | Custom ore and mines controlled. | Tributary to rich mining district. | ||
| Guayacan smelter | 3,000,000 | Matte | Formerly shipped matte to England. | ||||
| Chile | 6 mines with smelters | 5,000,000 | Matte | Locally owned mines | Shipped to big smelters or exported. | ||
| Great numbers of mines | large | Ore | Locally owned mines | Shipped to big smelters or exported. | |||
| Grand total | 308,000,000 | ||||||
| Expected output 1918-1919 | 244,000,000 (110,000 metric tons) | ||||||
Table 43.—Output, Reserves, and Life of Three American-owned Copper Mines in Chile
| Company | Output, First six months of 1918, (pounds) | Ore reserves (tons) | Life at present output, (years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 50,000,000 | 350,000,000 | 200 |
| Braden Copper Co. | 36,000,000 | 150,000,000 | 125 |
| Andes Copper Co. | non-producing (capacity 24,000,000) | 50,000,000 | Work suspended for present |
The Caldera and Carrizal custom smelters of the American Smelting & Refining Co. treat ores shipped from various smaller mines. The Carrizal plant has been closed. Two chief properties are tributary to this plant,—the Carrizal Alto and the Astilla mines. A large number of properties are tributary to the Caldera plant, among them: Dulcinea, Flamenco, Morado, San Juan, El Gallo, etc. Throughout northern Chile there are a great many small copper mines. From the Braden property east of Valparaiso to the Chili Copper Co., southeast of Iquique, the entire country seems to be unusually rich in copper.